LSU hires Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly to be next Tigers football coach

LSU has hired Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly as the next head coach for the Tigers football team, the Associated Press reports.

Kelly has led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish through one of the most successful periods of the team’s history, with a win-loss record of 113-40 over 12 seasons with the program. Notre Dame finished their season 11-1 on Saturday, Nov. 27, putting them on track to go to a playoff game for the third time in four years.

Kelly is being hired on a 10-year, $95 million contract with options for additional incentives, the Advocate reports.

For comparison, Orgeron signed a six-year, $42 million contract extension last January.

"Brian Kelly is the epitome of a winner,” LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward said in a statement. “He has built and sustained success at every program he’s led, from multiple undefeated regular seasons and National Coach of the Year honors to national titles and College Football Playoff berths. His credentials and consistency speak for themselves."

The move comes just weeks after Kelly said he wouldn’t leave Notre Dame’s program any time soon, and about a month and a half after current LSU head coach Ed Orgeron agreed to a $17 million separation agreement.

If the Fighting Irish make the playoffs this football season, Kelly will not coach the team in that game, according to sources.

Governor John Bel Edwards welcomed Kelly to the program Tuesday morning in a tweet when the hire was made official.

Tigers fans are invited to greet Kelly and his family when they arrive at the BTR Jet Center at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, according to an LSU Athletics press release.

Kelly will be formally introduced as head football coach at a press conference Wednesday.

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